Water Leak Alarm Installation?

I am thinking about installing a water leak detection alarm inside my Hobie Oasis Tandem kayaks to get an early warning of any major water intrusion.  I know I can open my hatch cover to check but this might give me an early warning for $10.

Have any of you guys installed it before?

Any opinions or suggestions?

Look forward to feed back if it works properly for you. Thanks for the post.

Alex

Mount it in a place where you can turn it off once it starts alarming, those things are annoyingly loud, on porpoise

Mount it in a place where you can turn it off once it starts alarming, those things are annoyingly loud, on porpoise
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Yes, I plan to install it where I can reach it while fishing.  Also, some models allow adjusting the alarm level.

Interesting idea. But I suspect you might get a lot of false alarms inside a Hobie, especially on days with any sort of chop/swell action.

Anyways, I'll be keen to hear how it works and if it lasts...

Interesting idea. But I suspect you might get a lot of false alarms inside a Hobie, especially on days with any sort of chop/swell action.

Anyways, I'll be keen to hear how it works and if it lasts...

I plan to install approximately 3-4" away from the flow line (the lowest point) to minimize false alarms from typical Hobie residual water.
Will let you know how it works out next fishing season.

Paul

IMHO, you're considering mounting it too high.  By the time you have that much water in a hull, you've got a real problem on your hands.

These are incredibly sensitive.  A slight dew inside the hull condensing will set it off.  It also has to be on a very flat surface to work.  There's a grid on it's bottom and when any two leads on this grid are dampened, makes a circuit and sets off the alarm.  If the suface is not flat, it won't  make proper contact. 
I have 4 in my house, laundry room, water heater, kitchen sink and guest bathroom (people don't always tell you when they clog a toilet)

IMHO, you're considering mounting it too high.  By the time you have that much water in a hull, you've got a real problem on your hands.

You are correct I need to find a balance point between the false alarm and too much water.  I am thinking about pouring a 5 gallon of water inside the hull to determine a trigger point.  I found many different designs and found one that can mount on a sloping surface too.

Paul

Once the sensor is wet, it will continue to alarm until you dry it off with a towel or something.  Simply lifting it out of water or moisture won't do it.  Setting on a damp wash cloth, for example will set it off. Lifting off the washcloth and it will still sound until you dry it. 

Once the sensor is wet, it will continue to alarm until you dry it off with a towel or something.  Simply lifting it out of water or moisture won't do it.  Setting on a damp wash cloth, for example will set it off. Lifting off the washcloth and it will still sound until you dry it.

This sounds like noting but trouble inside a kayak...

Once the sensor is wet, it will continue to alarm until you dry it off with a towel or something.  Simply lifting it out of water or moisture won't do it.  Setting on a damp wash cloth, for example will set it off. Lifting off the washcloth and it will still sound until you dry it.

I plan to test it in my sink but the one I chose is should stop.  I will let you know after I test it.

Paul

Once the sensor is wet, it will continue to alarm until you dry it off with a towel or something.  Simply lifting it out of water or moisture won't do it.  Setting on a damp wash cloth, for example will set it off. Lifting off the washcloth and it will still sound until you dry it.

I plan to test it in my sink but the one I chose is should stop.  I will let you know after I test it.

Paul

I looked up the ones I have.  They work both independently and in union with my weather station.  With my weather station, I can set up so it texts or emails me with an alarm.  I also noticed that it has 2 sensitivity levels.  I have mine set for most sensitive. This may be something you consider when you select your sensor; can the sensitivity be adjusted? 
https://ambientweather.com/amwh31la.html

Feel like it might be better to install a electric bilge with a float switch instead of an alarm.  It would provide more comfort for me if I was worried about taking on water to have it, but it would also make me have a dedicated power source for it, and still would carry my manual bilge pump as a backup. 

Might be harder to find, but there are bilge alarms that have two terminals, one low in the unit and one a couple inches higher, to require water at least that deep in the bilge to activate. 

Feel like it might be better to install a electric bilge with a float switch instead of an alarm.  It would provide more comfort for me if I was worried about taking on water to have it, but it would also make me have a dedicated power source for it, and still would carry my manual bilge pump as a backup.

I was thinking of a setup very similar when I read this thread.  I think a 12v bilge pump could use the same battery as a FF, just carry a little bigger battery and make sure to remember to charge before every trip.   Could also use a 12v bilge pump on a switch in tandem with a high water alarm.  Hear the alarm, switch on the pump, stop the pump when it stops discharging.